3 Drone Bills Passed By The California Senate This Week

Last week we talked about how privacy concerns have put pressure on the government to take action in California, and it seems to have moved swiftly through the government channels, and as a result we could see regulations being pushed up the chain and have tighter regulations on consumer drones a lot faster than expected.

The California senate has passed three bills, including two that place restrictions on the flying of drones over prisons or county jails and schools in the state, amid criticism of the over-regulation of drones.

A third bill, Senate Bill 142, requiring drones to fly above 350 feet (107 meters) over private property has also been passed by the senate, and been submitted to Governor Jerry Brown for approval.

Senate Bill 170 prohibits the flying of drones over a prison or county jail without permission, with certain exemptions for jail and prison employees, following reports of attempts to use the unmanned aircraft systems to drop drugs, tobacco and other material into prisons.

“Drones offer many fantastic uses for society, but dropping porn, drugs and guns into our prisons and jails is not one of them,” said Senator Patricia Bates, a Republican from Laguna Niguel, in a statement.

Senate Bill 271 makes it illegal to fly drones at certain heights over kindergarten to grade 12 public schools during school hours. It also makes it illegal to capture images of the campus during school hours or extracurricular activities.

Both SB 170 and SB 271 have been sent to the governor for approval, according to Bates.